Orientation machine for plastic filaments



Feb. 20, 1951 H. T. TORNBERG onmm'non MACHINE FOR msnc Fnmm s 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed 001;. 17, 1947 .f/gmwmaZ' irmaxey Feb. 20, 1951 H. 'r. TORNBERG 2,542,595

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lmeg y Patented Feb. 20, 1951 ORIENTATION MACHINE FOR PLASTIC FILAMENTS Kenning T. Tornbcrg, Ridgewood, N. J., assignor to Modern Plastic Machinery Corporation, Lodi,

N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application October 17, 1947, Serial No. 780,594

4 Claims. (Cl. zs- 71.3)

This invention relates to machines for stretching threads which it receives-from a plastic extruder, and after doing its work, delivers the stretched threads to a winding means.

In the trade, this type of machine is called anorientation machine for plastic threads, and consists principally of a receiving roller means, a delivery roller means and usually, includes at least one intermediate roller means. The speed of the receiving roller is substantially that of the rate of delivery of the thread from the exterior. The speed of the delivery roller is greater than that of the receiving roller, and is adjusted tube of such amount that the thread in being stretched due to such speed difference, is brought down to a predetermined size in cross section. The presence of intermediate rollers, accomplish the stretching operation in progressive steps. Means are provided to adjust the speeds of the respective rollers.

' An object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character mentioned, of novel and improved construction, affording means for separate adjustment of the speed of the receiving and delivery rollers to any predetermined ratio, and for changing said speeds without change in their ratio.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the type described, of novel and improved construction, affording means for separate adjustment of the speed of the receiving, intermediate and delivery rollers, and when set that the respective speeds are in definite ratio, the speeds of the respective rollers can be changed without change in such ratio.

A further object thereof is to provide a novel and improved means for changin the relative speed between the intermediate roller and one of the other rollers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the type mentioned, of novel and improved construction, which is simple to operate, reasonable in cost and eflicient in carrying out thepurposes for which it is designed.

Other. objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. l' is a diagrammatic front view of an embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section taken at line 3--3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken at line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section taken at line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an-enlarged view of means included in the speed changing devices employed in this embodiment.

Fig. 7 is an end view of Fig. 6. r

In the drawings, the numeral i5 designates generally a casing for housing the drives for the receiving roller it, an intermediate roller l1, and the delivery roller I8. Each of these rollers is associated respectively with an idler roller. Such idler rollers are indicated by the numerals I9, 20 and 2|. Each idler roller is in spaced relation with its companion roller. Threads 22 issuing from a plastic extrusion machine, whose discharge nozzle is indicated by the numeral 23, are passed through proper baths as at 24, 25 and 26, and wound a fewturns about each pair of rollers as is indicated in Fig. 1, in the manner practiced in the art. The casing l5, may also house the motor 21.

Handwheel 28, is for the adjustment of the speed of the receiving roller l6. Handwheel 29, is for the adjustment of the speed of the delivery roller I8. The handwheel 30, is for the adjustment of the speeds of all three main rollers l6, l1 and I8, simultaneously. Each handwheel is associated with a separate swingably mounted shaft supporting member, indicated respectively by the numerals 3|, 32 and 33. Rotary. movement of any handwheel aforesaid, will move its associated member about the latters pivotal axis or connection, indicated in one instance by the numeral 34. Each of said swingable members carries an identical, journalled shaft thereon. Each of said shafts, indicated by the respective numerals 35, 3B and 31, carries a pair ofvaried speed pulleys, which are shown for example in Fig. 5, and are indicated in the assembly by the respective numerals 38, 39, 40, ll, 42 and 42'. Said shafts 35, 36 and 31 are really idler shafts.

The shafts of the respective rollers, are indicated by their roller numbers, prime. The shafts of the main rollers, may be called the main shafts. The shafts 35, 36 and 31, and the pulleys they carry, are within the casing l5. All driven shafts are parallel. Shaft 35 is positioned between the intermediate pulley shaft I1 and the receiving roller shaft l6. Shaft 36 is positioned between the intermediate roller shaft I1 and the delivery roller shaft l8. Shaft 31 is positioned between the intermediate roller shaft I1 and the shaft of the motor 21, which-may be called the driver shaft. -In practice, the shafts I9, 20 and 2!, are skewed in proper direction to attain correct thread advancing action, as is well known in the m Pulley 43 on the intermediate roller shaft I1, is comparatively large with respect to the motor pulley l4. Pulley 45 on the receiving roller shaft Ii, is comparatively large with respect to the pulley It on thedelivery roller shaft ll. All belts used are endless. A belt 41 connects pulleys l and 4B. A belt 48 connects pulleys 38 and 15. Pulleys 44 and 42 are connected by a belt 45. The pulley 42' on shaft 31, is connected by a belt 50, to pulley l3. Shaft I'I' carries two pulleys indicated respectively by the numerals 5! and 52. Pulleys 52 and 39, are connected by a belt 53. Pulleys 5i and 4|, are connectedby a belt 54. The shafts l6, l1 and It, each carry a pulley for belt connection to individual speedometers. Such pulley on shaft I8, is indicated by the numeral 55, connected by a belt 56 to speedometer 51. The other shafts carry the pulleys 58 and 59, for such purpose with respect to the speedometers 60 and Si, belting for which is not shown.

All expansion" pulleys being identical, and all hand-wheel controlled apparatus being identical, description of one shall suflice for all.

A type of expansion pulley is shown in section in Fig. 5. It consists of a pair of cone frustra, each with hubs, as indicated by the numerals 52 and 63. These are carried on shaft 35. Pulley component 62, is secured on said shaft by set screw 64. Pulley component 63 is slidably mounted on said shaft, by means of key 85 extending in longitudinal groove 66 in said shaft. A cap 61, carried on the shaft 35, houses a compression spring 68, to urge the pulley components 52 and 63 together. V belts I! are used with pulleys of the type shown in Fig. 5. The function of said pulleys, as is well known in the machine art, is to convert a constant speed into a variably adjustable speed. When shaft 35 is moved by operation of handwheel 28, so as to tighten belt 48, the pulley components will be spread apart, that is part 63 will move away from part 62, the belt will assume a position nearer to shaft 35, occasioning a small lateral movement of said belt and the effective diameter of the pulley will be decreased. To facilitate such lateral movement of the belt, the pulleys carrying such belts, namely the pulleys Si, 52, 45 and 46 are preferably fiat pulleys. It is apparent that loosening the belt 48, will cause spring 68 to move pulley part 63 towards pulley part 62, and the effective diameter of the said pulley, increased. There are many types of varied speed pulleys on the market, many of which are adaptable for the present construction, as for instance those known as Reeves vari-speed'pulleys, usually used as the pulley of a slidably mounted electric motor.

Handwheel 30, is on a screw which is journalled to the frame l5. Saidscrew carries a nut member 10, loose between the pair of spaced plates H, which extend from the shaft support 33. Said nut member III, has two aligned pintles 12 extending therefrom in opposite directions and slidably through slots 13 in said plates II. It is evident that upon movement of handwheel 30, the nut member will ride thereon and cause shifting of the shaft support about its pivotal connection 34. Sizes of all pulleys are so chosen that the speed of the intermediate roller l1, shall be between the respective speeds of the comparatively low speed receiving roller It, and the comparatively high speed delivery roller it.

In operation, the handwheels 28, 29 and 30 4 are adjusted so that the ratios of the speeds of the respective rollers II, II and I8, are proper for the stretching of the thread 22, so that its original diameter as it issues from the extruder 23, is reduced to a predetermined size when it leaves the delivery roller It. The material of the thread and the use to which ltis to be put, will determine the extent of stretch required to be performed by the machine. With the ratio of speeds so fixed, adjustment of handwheel 30, will determine the rate of delivery from roller ll. 01 course, delivery from the extruder is adjusted to suit.

It is preferred practice that the speed of the intermediate roller I I, shall be one-half the sum of the respective speeds of the rollers I6 and II. Once the ratio of speeds as aforesaid is established by manipulation of the handwheels 28 and 29, change of speed of delivery, determined by adjustment of the handwheel 30, will not alter the originally set up ratio.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiment shown herein be deemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the spec fic description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

Iclaim:

1. In a. machine of the character described, the combination of a frame, first, second and third idler shaft supports, each moveably mounted on the frame, means mounted on the frame, adapted for independently shifting the respective shaft supports independently of each other, to any position along their respective paths of movement, first, second and third idler shafts, respectively Journalled on the respective shaft supports, first, second and third pairs of pulleys of the varied speed type, carried one pair respectively on the respective idler shafts, first, second and third main shafts respectively journalled on the frame, pulley means to receive two belts thereon and another pulley, carried on the second main shaft, pulleys carried one on each of the first and third main shafts, a journalled driver shaft, an endless belt connecting the driver shaft and one of the pulleys on the first idler shaft, an endless belt connecting the other pulley on the first idler shaft and the last mentioned pulley on the second main shaft, an endless belt connecting one of the pulleys on the second idler shaft and the pulley on the first main shaft, an endless belt connecting one of the pulleys on the third idler shaft and the pulley on the third main shaft, and a pair of belts respectively connecting the other pulleys on the second and third idler shafts and the pulley means on the second main shaft; the respective sizes of the pulleys on all the main shafts being such that when the driver shaft is rotated, the speed of the second main shaft is intermediate the respective speeds of the first and third main shafts, whereby upon change of position of the second shaft support when the driver shaft is rotated, the ratio of the speeds of the second and third main shafts is changed without change in the speed of said second main shaft, and upon change of position of the third shaft support, the ratio of the speeds of the second and the first main shafts is changed without change in the speed of said second main 5 shaft, and upon change of position of'the first shaft support, the speed of all the main shafts are changed without appreciable change in the aforesaid ratios existing before the last change 2. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein 5 all the shafts are positioned in constant parallel relation, and wherein, the first idler shaft is positioned intermediate the driver and the second main shafts, the second idler shaft between the first and second main shafts, and the third 10 idler shaft between the second and third main shafts. v

3. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the shaft supports are respectively between the pair of pulleys on the shafts they 16 respectively carry.

a 4. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the shaft supports are swingably mounted on axes respectively parallel to the respective idler shafts.

. HENNING T. TORNBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

